Communities in the north and south west of England and the Severn Valley should remain vigilant to the risk of further flooding into the weekend, the Environment Agency is warning.

The Met Office forecast is for more heavy rain for the north of England on Thursday and Friday and for the south of England on Friday and into Saturday morning. This brings an ongoing risk of flooding in parts of these areas and along parts of the River Severn, which could affect roads and disrupt travel.

The rivers Severn, Ouse, and Wye are expected to remain high into the weekend. The Foss Barrier in York, which was closed yesterday, is continuing to operate normally. Temporary flood defences and pumps are being deployed across the country. Demountable flood barriers are now in place at Shrewsbury on the River Severn. The Environment Agency continues to work in the Ullswater Valley in Cumbria to remove gravel and reduce flood risk.

Environment Agency flood warnings are updated every 15 minutes. People are urged to check the flood risk to their local area and to roads if they are planning to travel.

Neil Davies, National Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “As more wet weather is on the way we are urging communities in the north, south west, and Severn Valley to remain vigilant to the risk of further flooding.

“Environment Agency teams have been out checking flood defences, clearing watercourses, and supporting communities that are still recovering from recent flooding over Christmas after the wettest month on record.

“There will be high tides again today around southern and western coasts, which can cause large waves and spray. We advise anyone near coastal paths and promenades to take extra care and to avoid the temptation to go ‘wave watching’.

“People should check their flood risk and keep up to date with the latest situation or follow @EnvAgency and #floodaware on Twitter for the latest flood updates. Remember not to drive through flood water, just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”